Morgan Carter

Midtown isn’t a destination; it’s where you end up between obligations. Nobody goes there on purpose—they come through a glass revolving door at 11:42am, late to their meeting or timed museum visit. The likelihood is that you’re in midtown because your family is visiting. They want to see a show or something. Well, with our help, you can power lunch them silly. Just don’t make eye contact with the work-shirts hunched over martini lunches, humming the 1% blues. The truth is that under the starch, glass, and car-choked avenues, midtown, like every other neighborhood in this city, plays home to a staggering diversity of cultures, ethnicities, interests, religions, socio-economic statuses, and every other thing. The point is that, no matter what you’re looking for and unlikely as it may seem, there’s a restaurant in midtown that ticks your boxes. So what we’ve got for you, intrepid sojourner, is a slew of options from the depths of food halls to the tippy top of the culinary mountain—all of them worthy of being one of the best restaurants in midtown. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in NYCSeptember 2025: Some places have moved, others closed, still more are exactly where we left them. It’s hard to sift through what makes a place worth recommending; beyond what we’ve listed here, there are a slew of other excellent restaurants worth your money and time but the thing is that we tried to narrow our selections down a bit to places that are exceptional, singular, unique–the kind of

Find your new favorite spot for a morning iced coffee or an afternoon matcha at these coffee shops, cafes and bakeries. They don’t just serve classic lattes and cappuccinos (although they do make some of the best in the city), they also serve incredible cocktails, breakfast sandwiches that rival the best bodega BEC, and coffee drinks made with inventive ingredients like sweet durian and boba. Carve a few minutes out on your morning commute or make a special trip to try the latest colorful drink that’s blowing up on the ‘gram—these are the 16 best coffee shops in NYC right now. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in NYC to book right now September 2025: For us, coffee shops are so much more than just a place to get bean water in a cup. Coffee spells community, especially in our concrete jungle, where third spaces are far and few between. In that vein, we added a new number one spot to the list that effortlessly blends lifestyle, coffee and community into one: Harlem's The Oma Shop II Coffee+ Lifestyle. Following suit with the motto "We don’t serve coffee, we serve community," Flatbush's Lips Cafe also made the list. The Danish coffee import with those cardamom buns, La Cabra, also made the list, as did the newly christened coffee shop located inside the Chrysler Building, WatchHouse. And, for fine coffee that still stays within our budget, we found one of the cheapest cups in the city at Casasalvo. We removed East One Coffee Roasters as it closed. We also removed Alita Cafe, Bl

The countdown to Time Out Market Union Square is on. In just a few weeks, the 10,000-square-foot market hall will open its doors, feeding New Yorkers with a wonderful blend of cuisines, cocktails and a dose of culture found from around the world. Want to be one of the first to check it out? We have just the thing. To kick off our latest market opening, we are giving away a $500 gift voucher to the Time Out Market Union Square. Valid on food and drinks (though not on alcohol), the winner can eat their way through all seven of our amazing vendors at the food hall. And for even more exclusivity, the winner and a guest will be invited to the Market's launch party this fall. So, how do you enter? All you have to do is fill out this form here or below for your chance to win. You’ll automatically be added to our weekly newsletter, where we share insights into all that’s hot and happening across New York City. To qualify, the prize winner must be a resident of New York and aged 21 or older. Only one winner will be chosen and notified via email. The sweepstakes is on from now until September 7. So enter now for your chance to win! For rules on the sweepstakes, you can find them here. This competition has now closed.

There’s a long (and we mean really long) list of reasons why one might choose to visit old New York—the food, the theatre, the bars and the art galleries, to name a few—but up there with the best things about this city is, without a doubt, its skyline. And while heading up to Top of the Rock or the One World Observatory are worthy ways to soak it up, your hotel room could be, too. So, that’s why we’ve compiled a round up of the best hotels in NYC with proper, show-stopping views. Sit back and enjoy. 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to the best hotels in New York City How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 🛏 Check out the best Airbnbs in New York City

Some cities have more sprawl, sure, but we’re partial to the ones that surge upward. And thankfully for all of us, New York City stretches sky-high, from elevated parks like the High Line, to rooftop bars that pair tasty drinks with dizzying views, to beautiful buildings that skim the clouds. But instead of just serving up some of the best views in NYC, the city’s best rooftop restaurants do all that as well as offering some of the finest food and drink options at any elevation. So ready your Instagram filters and get ready for your most scenic foodie snap yet—these spots are your ticket to the top.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in NYC right now July 2025: It's still rooftop weather and there's more to do than drink in the views. For this update, we removed Electric Lemon, The Rooftop Restaurant RH New York, Serra by Birreria at Eataly Flatiron and Sushi Lab. In their place, we've added Saishin, a glam omakase den atop the Gansevoort Rooftop. 

Few dining daydreams capture a corner of New York City’s culinary appeal as keenly as the notion of the classic steakhouse. Bustling dining rooms lined with big, plush booths. Moody lights. Tables topped with frigid martinis. And perfectly paired sides and cuts you just can’t quite recreate at home. But as much as New Yorkers appreciate an old haunt whose walls are peppered with history and lore, the city has been more than happy to welcome modern-day halls that honor a good cut. All this to say, a New York City steakhouse can turn any occasion special, significant or quietly distinguished. And while we have plenty to choose from, some are simply better than the rest. So sharpen those knives for a slice of Gotham at its prime.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC August 2025: We added New York's first-ever fine dining restaurant to the list, Delmonico's. We also added chef Sungchul Shim's steakhouse with a Korean spin, Gui Steakhouse. We removed Bowery Meat Company, Gus's Chop House, Porter House Bar and Grill, St. Anslem, Sparks Steakhouse and Wolfgang's Steakhouse. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

August 2025 update: There's new songs being added to karaoke machines on a regular basis, so we see it as our duty to keep this list bang up to date. Our latest additions include a modern British classic from Lola Young, as well as the bounciest anthem to emerge over the past 12 months from Blackpink's Rosé and Bruno Mars. Whether you’ve got the voice of an angel or you’re totally tone deaf, karaoke unites us all. But heed our warning: choosing the right song is crucial (aka, don’t opt for that Whitney Houston tune if you haven’t the range. And if you don't have good enough flow, steer clear of rapping. Kapeesh?) So we thought we’d help out a little bit. In our list of the best karaoke songs ever, we’ve got everyone from Adele to Toto, and from Frank Sinatra to Ricky Martin. There's even recent singalongs from Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Something for everyone. So down that shot, grab that mic and take to the stage. Your audience awaits you. Here are the best karaoke songs ever.  RECOMMENDED:❤️ The best love songs☀️ The best summer songs🎉 The best party songs🕺 The best albums of 2025 so far  

In New York City, “underground” is good: think speakeasy-themed bars, hidden streets, secret gardens, you know, the actual underground. But sometimes you want to soar above it all, sipping effervescent libations among the clouds like some kind of fancy bird with an expense account. You want to be uplifted.  In the city that never stops sprawling, upward expansion has also reached great heights. Many incredible eating and drinking destinations are poised in the sky like treehouses with cover charges. Among these rooftop bars are old New York throwbacks, party destinations and seaside terraces practically fashioned for Instagram. They each offer booze, some kind of view and an invitation for you to get high.  August 2025: Just because August is here doesn't mean that rooftop season is anywhere near over. We've added another locale to our list: the enchanting terrace atop the Conrad New York Downtown, known as Leonessa, which transports guests to an Italian getaway. RECOMMENDED: The best bars in NYC

Choosing a favorite restaurant in New York City is a joyful task with myriad possibilities depending on the occasion, mood and even the time of year. Your favorite dive, fine dining destination and neighborhood favorite might all occupy top spots on your personal best list in spite of their disparate qualities.  Our list of NYC’s 35 best restaurants is the same, spanning each of those categories and more to comprise a catalogue of all the places we wish we were at right now. They don’t have to be the newest or the most recently reviewed, just places that we’ve been to and want to return to again and again, and that we think that you will, too.  RECOMMENDED: NYC’s best bars right now August 2025: After a recent five-star review, we added the beloved Thai-American eatery, Thai Diner, to the list. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out. Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining.

Every drink seems ideal when you're at the perfect bar. Your dive’s beer is frosty, rooftops send you soaring toward the clouds and cocktail destinations shake and stir myriad ingredients into ideally calibrated glassware—leaps above what you try to craft at home. The options are unending, the ice is nicer and you aren’t just drinking, you’re at the spot.  Whether you're dabbling in low-ABV libations, making your way through dedicated martini menus or collecting passwords for pseudo speakeasies, there is an ideal location for every taste, tolerance and occasion. Find them among the 50 best bars in NYC right now. Updated August 2025: After a recent visit, we added the East Village's Bar Snack for its seriously good frozens and the late-night snack that is the Spice Bag. We removed Jimmy's Corner. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.

The best brunch in NYC can be found every day of the week. Saturday brunch is the best time to gear up for the night ahead, Sundays are perfect for relaxing and a weekday brunch is a rarefied treat designated for ad hoc time off—we would know. We make brunch our business. It doesn’t matter so much when you do it, but where you do it. And whether you skew more toward the breakfast or lunch ends of the portmanteau’s spectrum, toward coffee or mimosas, these are the best brunch destinations in NYC.  RECOMMENDED: The best boozy brunches in NYC July 2025: After a recent visit, we added Coqodaq and Kellogg’s Diner. We removed Sweet Afton and Dimes. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out. Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

If you don't know already, the summer edition of NYC Restaurant Week is well underway. But if you follow us, you are probably well aware, as we can't stop talking about it. And how could we not? Over 600 restaurants across our five boroughs are inviting us to the table over seriously discounted deals that don't tip over $60, on offer morning, noon and night. We've already thumbed through our best picks across all five boroughs as well as rattled off a handful of Michelin-rated restaurants that we think are worth the visit, especially at a more affordable price point. But, speaking of affordable, if you are looking to get the most bang for your buck, we hear you. Close to 300 restaurants are doling out deals around the $30 mark, making it easy to bop around from place to place with monies relatively intact. Hungry? Eat and save at these cheap NYC Restaurant Week deals.  RECOMMENDED: The 20 best cheap eats in NYC

R&Breathe is a one-of-a-kind movement and mobility class designed to help you relax, release and recover, all while vibing to a soulful R&B playlist. Led and created by fitness trainer Ashlee Whiteside, this 45-minute experience blends mindful movement, flexibility training and nervous system calming techniques. It’s the perfect reset for your body and mind, paired with the right soundtrack. Once you've flowed to the best R&B vibes, you can refuel your body with all-day kitchen eats and smoothies from Drugstore. The class is priced at $45. Participants will also receive a $15 Time Out Market gift card. Purchase your ticket here. 

Nothing says fall like cider. And we really can't wait to "fall" into this cider fest. Oh, excuse us—"CiderFeast."  On Saturday, October 4, the roving cider festival, CiderFeast, continues its East Coast tour with a stop right here in Brooklyn. The all-inclusive celebration held at Sunset Park's Industry City will bring together hard ciders sourced from regional and New York cider producers, paired with delicious bites. Unlimited samples of cider will be supplied by Original Sin Cider, Hudson North Cider, Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery, Quartz Rock Cider House, Frosty Twig Cider and so much more. Sip while you sample on a slew of bites curated by Austin Eastciders and Mike’s Hot Honey. Nosh on 24-month aged country ham sliced from whole-animal butchery and salumeria, Ends Meat, spicy kimchi from Goshen Kimchi and grilled cheese sandwiches from the Jimmy’s No. 43 grill. If your buds prefer something a little sweet, you can find it here too, as donuts will be provided from Stone Ridge Orchard, plus other and treats courtesy of Tipsy Scoop, Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue from Wonder and MuMsKitchens NYC.  Tickets are on sale now. General admission pricing starts at $45, while early entry starts at $65. Reserve your tickets here. 

It is fitting that the Rent Is Too Damn High Party was founded in New York, isn't it? But really, the phrase can relate to so many things. All you have to do is exist in New York for longer than a few hours to realize that the groceries, restaurant prices and cost of living as a whole all fits the bill. But thanks to this coffee mini-chain, we finally have a cup of coffee that is priced just right. That's all due to Salvo Lo Castro. When the Italian-born and raised chef first arrived in New York, he was appalled at the price of a good espresso. And so he started his own cafe named Casasalvo, blending beans sourced from Rome and brewing up espressos for the low, low price of $2.51. Even a cappuccino made with alternative milks taps out at $3.51. Use your saved coins to shop at the pantry section near the front, as the shelves are stocked with jarred tomato sauces, dry pastas and Italian Coca-Cola. 

SEY Coffee is effortlessly cool, and they know it. The shop balances its industrial-like elements of concrete and white-bricked walls with bushels of greenery that cascade from ceiling, hung from its various skylights. There aren't a ton of seats, but if you happen to nab one of the wooden booths or high top tables, we recommend savoring the spot with one of the shops seasonally rotating blends. Expect lighter blends of drip coffees and espressos, rounded out with a selection of teas. 

Following a successful launch on Fifth Avenue, WatchHouse, decided to open another coffee shop in 2025. But this time, the British coffee brand debuted inside one of the city's most iconic skyscrapers: The Chrysler Building. The coffee shop mirrors the grandeur of its landlord, featuring stainless steel and red elements, along with a nine-foot oculus that hovers above the espresso bar. Venture inside and you'll soon find yourself at the foot of the glass pastry counter lined with twisted cardamom buns, tarts of the season and pastries puffed with a delightfully spicy nduja. But if you came solely for coffee, look past it and find the menu projected on the wall with all the regular suspects: espresso and lattes, matchas and teas, and seasonal drinks. But hold a second longer and the projection will switch over to the Rarities Program. A fixture of the brand, the program showcases hard-to-find beans sourced from around the world. Keep in mind, they come at a price ranging from $14 to $52 for a pour-over. But if coffee connoisseur is in your calling card, then you may just want to spend on the experience.  

Since 2018, Creole Food Festival has showcased the culinary prowess of Black and brown chefs from across the diaspora—including cuisines found in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America and the South. The festival plans to do it all again for this seventh year—this time, bringing the vibes to Brooklyn.  The Creole Food Festival will be landing in Brooklyn for the very first time, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. In conjunction with Time Out Market New York, Dumbo, the weekend-long festival will include a Creole brunch, live music and the pièce de résistance: the grand tasting. Held on Saturday, September 27, the grand tasting will feature cuisines from across the diaspora, with chefs hailing from Barbados, Haiti and Venezuela. Showcasing their culture through food, 13 chefs will be in attendance, including three-time winner of Food Network's Chopped, chef Adriana Urbina, Forbes' "30 Under 30" and winner of Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay, chef Kelvin Fernandez, and chef Ronie Leriche of Leriche Restaurant in Paris. As for libations, Time Out Market New York will provide a pop-up bar with specialty cocktails to keep the party going. More than just food, the festival is bringing the vibe of Carnival to Brooklyn. Throughout the day, you can catch live sets from DJ Magic Kenny and Sounds of Reality as they spin Creole, Latin and African tunes. Grammy-nominated artist Stacy Barthe—whose resume includes writing hits for Beyoncé, Rihanna and Nipsey Hussle—will also be per

Los Angeles Jeremy Fall has often been the life of the party, revamping the nightlife scene in Hollywood and remixing late nights with drunken French toasts and cereal milk-infused cocktails. With over ten years in the game, the chef and restaurateur still enjoys a good time, albeit without the vices that often accompany it. Aligning with his sober lifestyle, the chef recently founded the pop-up Drugstore, an all-day clean kitchen that's caused quite the buzz in the Hamptons for its colorfully concocted smoothies. Now that he's found a permanent home in Brooklyn, the chef/restaurateur wanted to throw a party, all in his own way.  To celebrate the opening of Drugstore at Time Out Market New York, Brooklyn, Fall is hosting a rooftop smoothie rave. The 9am party will go down, or rather, up, on the Market's iconic 5th floor rooftop on September 7 for a morning of dancing, food and tunes from the one and only DJ Samantha Ronson. Fall will be onsite, showcasing soon-to-debut offerings, including his colorful smoothies, breakfast burritos, chia puddings and more.  Entry is free, but an RSVP is required. Food and drink will be available to purchase onsite and all ages are welcome. So come start the day with a smoothie in hand!

No one does day to night like Hi-Collar. During the AM hours, the space channels a kissaten cafe, or a Japanese cafe and tea house. Leaning into the ethos of actually slowing down and enjoying your cup of coffee, the shop features limited roasts that consistently rotate, sourced from Bali, Colombia and Kenya. If your coffee curiosities get the best of you, press up to the beautifully decorated counter, outfitted with blond woods and shoji screens, and watch the baristas prepare various beans and brews in aeropresses and golden siphons. But if rest and reflection is more of your speed, work your way to the Japanese garden near the rear with leafy bamboo trees and a small rock garden. Find your zen over sandwiches that spill out with sweet cream and strawberries or tangy egg salads or get your fill with hollowed out hunks of milk bread, plied high with berries, honey and scoops of vanilla ice cream. Easing into the night, you'll find that hi-collars will be all but abandoned as the venue slides into a jazzy scene, fueled by sake and rare whiskies.   Time Out tip: Five Spot Jazz provides the tunes every Sunday evening. Keep in mind, there is a $15 cover charge and one drink minimum per guest.

When La Cabra made its debut in the East Village back in 2021, the pint-sized shop and bakery operated with a militancy that factored in a perpetually packed queue, as customers were desperate to try a taste of the Danish-based coffee company firsthand. In the following years, the fervor has cooled, likely due to its spread across the city, with locations operating in Bushwick and SoHo. Minus the uptick in activity during the morning rush and weekends, a visit now yields less standing in line and more strolling right in, as casually observing the baristas behind the L-shaped counter and nosing at the glass case with its laminated lineup of breads and pastries is more than encouraged. Even now, the baked goods led by Jared Sexton (of Bien Cuit and Dominique Ansel Bakery fame) still draw a crowd, with the fragrant Cardamom Bun, featuring crunchy bits of sugar baked inside, holding the crown as the house favorite.

What Saint Tuesday has going for it is what many speakeasies about town try to recreate—and it all starts with the fact that this bar is legitimately hard to find. Yes, the address is technically located at 77 Walker Street and it is connected to the Walker Hotel Tribeca. But instead of going inside the hotel and rooting around for it, walk past the lobby doors and turn right onto Cortlandt Alley toward White Street. Find the metal staircase and ring the doorbell, which is sneakily marked with their logo (but less sneakily, a Ring camera). Soon, a hostess will usher you in, guide you past the hum of the hotel's kitchen and briskly down a few flights of stairs. As you climb, the more you will hear soft jazz slowly meet your ears. As my friend and I went through the rigmarole of it all—the door bells, the descents, and a 45-minute wait—upon passing the threshold, she turned to me and said, "See, this is a real speakeasy." And after an evening of proper boozing and rhythms of jazz, I can wholeheartedly say that she was right.   The vibe: The concrete-heavy subterranean basement somehow retains a certain softness with flickering candles, hugged by round marble tables and squat chairs on one side and black leather banquettes on the other. The nightly jazz sets are the bow on top, immediately making you feel like you've truly discovered something special. The interior seems to call for intimacy, so don't be surprised if the twosomes around you start canoodling.  The food: There are

Lizzy Okpo named her Harlem-based coffee, lifestyle and wellness shops "oma," meaning beautiful in Igbo. And it seems she has truly embodied the spirit of the word. As The Oma Shop I (1707 Amsterdam Avenue) dabbles in home goods alongside coffee cups, the follow-up, The Oma Shop II, continues in stride, expanding on the original's imprint. Reading like the living room of a Moroccan home, the shop finds power in its minimalism with white walls that curve and shelves stocked with aesthetically pleasing bottles of balms and beauty goods curated from Black, POC and LGBTQ+ vendors. The stainless steel counter shines near the front, where a blend of coffees and teas is brewed. But if you push deeper into the shop, you'll reach the sizeable backroom that morphs to the needs and whims of the community. On any given night, you can find a barber shop and braiding studio, a quiet room for podcasting and interviews and even a booth where up-and-coming DJs livestream their sets. But if you just came for a cup of coffee and a chill or early evening glass of wine and a bit of community, that is more than welcome here, too. 

For over a hundred years, The Palm Court's soaring, stained-glass atrium has hosted thousands of afternoon teas, making The Plaza Hotel a destination for the midday tradition. Now with the U.S. Open upon us, this posh venue has just the thing to make you feel like you are sitting courtside. In partnership with Lacoste, The Palm Court is serving a tennis-inspired afternoon tea from now until September 10th. Channeling the fashion brand's Le Café Lacoste in Monaco, the themed tea service is bringing a taste of the French Riviera to the city. On silver three-tiered trays, you can find delicate sandwiches like The Court Side Cucumber and Le “Croc” Monsieur, a.k.a a riff on the croque monsieur. Finger-sized sweets come in the form of lemon cake, cheekily named Game. Set. Citrus., and Earl Grey Tea Break Macarons stamped with the iconic mascot. Speaking of, the cafe's croc-shaped dessert, Le Crocodile, will also be available for snacking. As you sip on one-of-a-kind teas, Champagnes and even "C(r)ocktails," you can gaze upon the atrium as it glows Lacoste green. Plus, original vintage racquets invented by René Lacoste himself are also on display. So don your finest tennis wares and cheers to a winning combo.    The afternoon tea is priced at $145 per person and reservations are strongly encouraged. Reserve your spot here.

Follow along if you know this one: “In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.” And if you ended the last part with “Dun Dun,” then clearly, we are on the same wavelength. RECOMMENDED: The top 25 NYC-set TV shows, including Law & Order, Friends and more For 25 years, the dynamic duo that is Stabler and Benson and the self-described "junkyard dog" that is Jack McCoy have graced our screens, all thanks to Dick Wolf and the creation of the “Law & Order” franchise. As a salute to a quarter century of primetime television, the crime drama is taking over Rockefeller Center for a limited time this fall, and it plans to be especially heinous.  Photograph: Courtesy of NBCUNIVERSAL| Exterior of Dun Dun Diner From October 3rd to 5th, the “Law & Order” universe will launch the “Dun Dun Diner.” Recreating a hangout made for the elite squad, the pop-up will churn out classic diner staples and limited-edition merch, all thanks to partnerships with Milk Bar and Dinner Service NY. Plus, the interior will feature interactive moments, posters of the cast and quotable moments that will make you feel like you are on the case.  The “Dun Dun Diner” will be open Friday, October 3, from 1pm to 7pm; and Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, from 9am to 7pm. It is free and open t

Chef Dhanapol "Oak" Marprasert is a well-known figure on New York’s Thai scene, moving seamlessly from recreations of street classics to modern interpretations. His spark in the kitchen, however, came from a humble source: his mother.   Marprasert was born in Washington, D.C., into a Thai army attaché family, which later moved to Bangkok's Samsen neighborhood. After his father’s passing, his mother supported him and his two siblings by always keeping food on the table, with an eager Marprasert always ready to assist. To this day, her spirit stays with him. “Whenever I cook, I always think about my mother,” remarked Marprasert.  After graduating from culinary school in Bangkok, Marprasert returned to the States, landing in Tennessee in 2014. He began his career in a Thai restaurant, starting as a dishwasher and working his way up the ladder. Before long, he set his sights on New York, eager to bring his cooking to a larger audience.   "The allure of New York City was undeniable. I saw it as an unparalleled opportunity to bring my unique interpretation of Thai cuisine to a global stage,” he said. “I thrive on healthy competition, and the vibrant culinary landscape of the 'Big Apple' felt like the perfect fit." He started a business in Queens, drawn to the local scene and its "demand for truly authentic Thai food, much like what you'd find in Thailand itself." He and his wife, Jiraporn “Jina” Tisopa, have since met that demand, first with the affordable street eatery Makin in Mi

When I ask you to think of Creole food, images of pink crawfish meat bubbling in stews and andouille-heavy gumbos may be the first thought to come to mind. But if you were to ask Fabrice Armand, he might point towards Haiti's “kreyol" food or how mofongo and tostones found in Puerto Rico are just a part of the “criollo” cuisine. You see, Armand has become something of a student of the cuisine, exploring its influences found in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin and South America as he curates the immersive Creole Food Festival. For its seventh year, the food festival, in conjunction with Time Out Market New York, Dumbo, will take root in Brooklyn for the very first time. We spoke with Armand about his early interest in the culinary field, the breadth of Creole cuisine and what to expect for the festival's first arrival in Brooklyn.  You have a strong background in marketing, from working at the ACLU to owning your own businesses. So when did food come into the mix? Fabrice J. Armand: I've always loved culinary. I grew up in a family where women were traditionally trained cooks. But when I was vice president [of business development & marketing] at G Caribbean Magazine, I actually went to Haiti to cover the Haiti Food & Spirits Festival. That's when I met all my contacts in terms of chefs, including Gregory Gourdet and chef Digby Stridiron. I found out, through that experience, that a lot of chefs of color have to work five times as hard to get notoriety and recognition. That's w

Next week marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 2025), a time to recognize and celebrate the vibrant histories, contributions and cultures of Hispanic and Latino communities. But as the Trump Administration continues to demonize Latino communities across the nation, harassing and cracking down on immigrants via ICE raids, it is important, now more than ever, to show support.   Attending Latin Food Fest is certainly one way to do so. Billed as America’s original Latin festival, the New York-founded festival welcomes all for a weekend of food, culture and fun. Gathering over 80 food stalls that span the cuisines from 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries—including Puerto Rico, Ecuador and Venezuela, to name a few—the two-day festival has a little bit of everything to turn the party, with live musical acts, cultural installations and giveaways. In its first year, the festival attracted nearly 20,000 visitors.   But as this year’s organizers were preparing for year number three, they overheard rumors from multiple vendors and community activists that ICE may be targeting large public gatherings, the festival included. Instead of backing down, the organizers wanted to send a clear message to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  RECOMMENDED: March On: How to protest safely in NYC “America’s Original Latin Food Fest is setting the record straight: ICE is not welcome, and the festival is a safe space for immigrants, families, and allies,” s

Assaf Tamir had a simple idea: open a bar for the sake of music. It was a bit of a shift for him, business-wise, as he and his sister Naama dabble more in the restaurant sphere, running the long-standing Lighthouse in Williamsburg, as well as MESSY, a Mediterranean-meets-Japanese skewer concept in SoHo. But as the two hosted shows inside their Williamsburg restaurant over the years, they figured it was time to a create a space that musicians deserved. Soon the two began rolling with the idea, scouting locations, curating a food menu and studying noise-cancelling this and that to achieve near-perfect sound. But then question arose: what about the drinks? This was an easy solve as Naama suggested Steve Schneider, their long-time friend who also happens to be an award-winning bartender of Employees Only fame and the West Village’s Sip & Guzzle, which recently received the title of best new cocktail bar in the U.S. Together, these three little birds dreamt up Birds (64 Downing St, New York, NY 10014), a listening lounge that honors the classics in every sense of the word. And as of last week, their West Village bar has finally taken flight.  RECOMMENDED: These are the best vinyl bars in NYC Photograph: Courtesy of Ania Fedisz| Birds lived in interior is all about a cozy and intimate night out Shrouded in blue, sound-dampening velour curtains, the interior of Birds already touts a sort of lived-in quality, with white banquettes that line the wall and deep blue walls pinned with

Back in February, we told you that you’d soon be seeing double, as we announced another Time Out Market in New York, this time in Union Square. Last month, we dropped a hit list of some of New York’s most talented chefs around…all of which happen to be heading to the market. And now, we can finally reveal when it is all going down. Time Out Market Union Square is officially opening on Friday, September 26 on the ground floor of Zero Irving (124 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003). Our first neighborhood Market—a smaller, more intimate format will soon swing open its doors, ready to welcome you over a specially curated line-up of foods, drinks and a huge dose of culture. RECOMMENDED: It’s official: here are all the chefs coming to Time Out Market Union Square Need a refresher on who is coming to the market? We got you. Critically acclaimed chef Kwame Onwuachi is bringing the Caribbean vibe with his patty stand, Patty Palace. James Beard Award-winning chef Chintan Pandya of the Unapologetic Foods crew—aka the heavy hitters behind Adda, Dhamaka and Semma—will be harnessing the energy of a night market in Delhi with his long-awaited kebab spot, Kebabwala. Michelin-rated tacos are coming by way of Taqueria El Chato, thanks to the team-up of chef Gerardo Alcaraz and Chris Reyes. An award-winning pitmaster and a master of Thai cuisine, chef Dhanapol "Oak" Marprasert and his wife Gina are opening a second location of their beloved Astoria restaurant, Kam Rai Thai. Fornino is makin

Michael Ayoub’s foray into the restaurant industry was an impulsive one. While studying radiology at Long Island College Hospital, he worked in tandem at Skaffles, a Bay Ridge restaurant that specialized in grilled pizzas. About a year into working there, he witnessed tensions rising between the two owners, and it became clear—one wanted out. So Ayoub stepped in, using what little money he had to buy half of the restaurant at just 20 years old.  “At 20 years old, you do things more impulsively than you do at 68, but I think it was a great move,” he spoke of his thought process at the time. “Sometimes life is all about taking opportunities when you see them.” It seems his wager paid off. Using Skaffles as a jumping-off point, the chef went on to own various restaurants across Brooklyn, most notably the beloved Cucina. Becoming the first-ever Brooklyn restaurant to be reviewed by The New York Times, the Greenpoint spot nabbed two stars for its pastas and Chicago-style pies. Seemingly having a knack for dabbling in various styles (pizza is his favorite food, after all), Ayoub’s next act was to introduce something that had yet to be seen in the slice-dominated New York arena. While a fan of the chewy, wood-blistered pizzas popular in Naples, he knew that the dough wouldn't translate, as the wet, almost soup-like pizza wouldn't stand up to New Yorkers' propensity for eating food on the go and take-out. Blending his creative side with a scientific eye toward the study of water and

While most kids spent their waking weekend hours parked in front of the TV, a young Anthony Valois was already up and in line with his father—ready and waiting to be one of the first customers to be let inside their favorite Italian deli. Even now, the smell alone is enough to bring him back to the good times.  “Opening up that door and the smell of cured meats [and] the chaos of what's going on behind the counter—everything was intoxicating,” said Valois.  As a first-generation Italian-American growing up in Brooklyn, food was a huge part of Valois’s livelihood, with vivid memories of grandparents canning tomatoes and school lunch boxes filled with cheeses and mortadella. From an early age, he grew to understand the importance of his food and its ties to his culture. “I started appreciating what goes into Italian cuisine, the philosophies and how to respect the ingredients,” he said, curious about the regionality of cheese and meats at a young age. At one point, he even romanticized opening a trattoria in his homeland. But life goes on, and so did Valois. As a young adult, he briefly attended college, but left after receiving an opportunity to intern on Wall Street. There he stayed for 22 years in the private equity and fund management sectors. Over the years, the little interest he had in the profession faded, and Valois leaned on food to excite him again. But it wasn’t the food of the old country that drew him in. Instead, it was all American barbecue.  “Barbecue seemed

I once overheard that the food at Lori Jayne was best described as “bar food as big as your definition of it.” While I can’t recall where I heard it, the sentiment is certainly fitting as Sam Braverman’s version of the genre has so far included Korean-fried chicken glazed with soy-garlic and beef tallow to minced Gulf shrimp spread over hunks of milk bread. And those viral steak frites? Don’t even get us started. But you see, this is just how Braverman cooks, regardless of whether he’s hawking food in his driveway or in the back of a Bushwick-esque dive. Because the simple fact is Braverman cooks how he likes to eat, an ethos he’s carried since his first pop-up named SITLE, which simply stood for Shit I Like To Eat.  “If it doesn’t excite us, regardless of the background or techniques involved, we’re not going to serve it to our customers,” said Braverman of Lori Jayne.  Yet if you ask Braverman how he would describe his cooking, he would say it's simply an amalgamation of himself, his time working in New York kitchens, and his travels across the world and the country at large. Yet, the one who started it all was his mother, as his restaurant bears her name.  Like mother like son, Braverman’s mother isn’t a classically trained chef. But just like him, she is “exceptionally passionate about food.” Growing up, Braverman’s table was full of foods “you wouldn’t think you’d find on the Upper West Side’s Jewish family's dinner table” as his mother cooked blue crabs plucked from mar

Remember the $10 cocktail? Ah, those were the days. It seems we didn't realize the cocktail surge before it was too late. We certainly didn’t sneeze at the price when it crawled to $12. But at $15, our wallets definitely took notice. And now that cocktails have tipped over the $20-mark, budgeting before going out is basically a requirement. But now there is a new bar in New York here to blow a hole through the whole damn thing. Coming to market with showstopping cocktails is BarChef (21 W 35th St, 3rd floor), serving them at the showstopping price of $43.  RECOMMENDED: The 30 best bars in NYC right now BarChef marks the first expansion for the Canada-based cocktail bar, initially established in Toronto back in 2008. Behind it is all Frankie Solarik. Recently featured as a judge on Netflix's "Drink Masters," Solarik has been recognized by The New York Times as a "Legendary Experimentalist" when it comes toward cocktails, introducing techniques gleaned from the culinary world to the glass. Owners of Loulou Petit, Mino Habib and Mathias Van Leyden, worked with Solarik to bring his bar international with the New York location opening this past June. Photograph: Courtesy of BarChef| Interior of BarChef The midtown bar is located behind a massive, rust colored door that easily blends into the facade of 35 Street. Find the entry and climb up the stairs, bypassing the unlimited Wagyu steak restaurant, Niku X, on the ground floor. Once you arrive on the third floor, you’ll find that

Last month, Drugstore—the Hamptons pop-up from chef and restaurateur Jeremy Fall—got flagged on Instagram for apparently “selling drugs.” Instead of freaking out, Fall turned it into an opportunity, drumming up limited-edition bags printed with the word “Drugs” on them, captioning the post with, “We don’t sell drugs, but we get it: wellness this good can feel illegal.”  View this post on Instagram A post shared by DRUGSTORE (@drugstore) Really, it is no surprise that Fall's arrival into the wellness sphere has similarly made a splash, as the multi-hypenate has been known to cause a scene. Making a name for himself on the West Coast, the former fashion designer and entrepreneur's first mission was to bring the cool factor back to nightlife. Over the years, Fall added more titles to his resume, most notably restaurateur. Appeasing the late-night crowd with drunken challah French toast and cereal milk-infused cocktails (Nighthawk: Breakfast Bar) and selling secret sandwiches out of the back of a repurposed liquor store (Tinfoil Liquor & Grocery), Fall caught the attention of Roc Nation, becoming the first-ever chef-restaurateur to be represented by Jay Z’s brand in 2018. His secret to success? Using food as a conduit for his many, many interests. “Everything I do has been to use food as a platform to collaborate with other mediums like fashion, music and entertainment,” he said.  Photograph: Courtesy of David Ardill| Jeremy Fall But by 2019, Fall had all but

DJ FATFINGAZ says it best, “If you don’t evolve, you dissolve”—which is sage advice coming from a man who’s been spinning beats around the world for over 30 years. A lover of music from the get-go, DJ FATFINGAZ knew he wanted to be behind the booth from the ripe age of seven. From his early days sneaking into the clubs to watch his favorites play, the DJ has gone on to win local, national and worldwide competitions, man the radio waves and maintain steady residencies from the far reaches of Asia to Switzerland. But the New York native always shows his hometown love, especially with his rooftop sets at Time Out Market Brooklyn. We caught up with the award-winning DJ to hear about his love for the art form, how he studies music to keep his sound fresh and what's spinning at his monthly rooftop party in Dumbo with The Industry Mixer NYC hosted by Rich Godd and Tosh.  Tell us a bit about yourself. DJ FATFINGAZ: I am from New York, born and raised in Jamaica, Queens (Northside/Jamaica Hills). I was a lover of music, always gravitating to it ever since I was a kid. Going down Jamaica Avenue and seeing DJ culture right in front of my face, it was just a part of my DNA. When did you know you wanted to make DJing your career? DF: I knew at seven years old what I wanted to do. My mom thought it was just a hobby. But she invested in me, one turntable at a time. I got brought in by a group called InterBase Productions, and they trained me from 1991 to 2000. Then, I started competing with